Earth mount assembly for target traps



Feb. 10, 1970 s. c. LUEBKEMAN EARTH MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR TARGET TRAPS FildAug. 14, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 NVE N T0 R fieorye C 'uebKeman BY ATTY.

Feb. 10, 1970 e. c. LUEBKEMAN EARTH MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR TARGET TRAPS 2Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Aug. 14, 196? a ,a E v a Q E #2 w a w z 4 A f T a7 W 2 x a 0 a w a 4 a .M/ 2 m a 5 2 w 4 INVENTOR Gear-ye Claehfernan BYM United States Patent 3,494,581 EARTH MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR TARGET TRAPSGeorge C. Luebkeman, Cincinnati, Ohio Trius Products, Inc., 32 PorterSt., Cleves, Ohio 45002) Filed Aug. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 660,275 Int. Cl.A45f 3/44; E02d /74 US. Cl. 248-156 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREAn anchorage for mounting a target trap firmly upon the surface of theearth, said anchorage comprising a hold-down member and an earth mountwhich cooperate when assembled to fix a vibratile device, such as atarget trap, upon the earths surface.

This invention relates to an earth mount assembly and is particularlydirected to a portable earth mount comprising two parts which cooperatewhen assembled upon the earth to ensure a firmly set mounting foroutdoor vibratile devices, such as target traps, or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a rugged, yet simplifieddevice that may be assembled and set up on the earth in a minimum timeto expedite the placement and removal of a portable target trap earthmount.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a portable mount havingthe foregoing characteristics two cooperative parts susceptible of readyplacement upon the earth and which cooperate to produce a stabilizedmount for target traps which, in operation, create intermittentvibrations.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like referencenumerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken from a side of one form of my earthmount assembly; a target trap being shown in dotted lines therein asexemplary of the type of vibratile device which may be positioned uponthe earth with said assembly.

FIG. 2 is a fragmental, top plan view of the earth mount assembly shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section like that depicted in FIG. 4 showing a modificationof my earth mount assembly.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental, side elevational view of another modified formof my earth mount assembly.

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 through 11 are fragmental, sectional views each showing afurther modification of my earth mount assembly.

With particular reference to FIGS. 14 of the drawings, the earth mountdepicted therein is associated with an elongated base member 10preferably in the form of a wood plank. The forward end of the plank maybe connected to a lateral stabilizing board 11; a conventional targettrap 12 devised to throw clay birds 13 for target shooting being mountedon the forward end of the member 10 as by bolts 14, or the like.

3,494,581 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 A first part for the earth mountcomprises a yieldable hold-down member 15 disposed above the rearportion of the base member 10 in spaced apart relationship therewith andmovable toward and away from said base member. The forward end of thehold-down member is pivotally mounted on an intermediate portion of thebase member by a hinge means which takes the form of a U-shaped bracket16 fixed upon the member 10 and having its legs 17 and 18 straddling theend of the hold-down member. A pin 19 mounted on and extending betweenthe bracket legs is received in a bearing hole 20 formed laterallythrough the hold-down member 15.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the terminal rear end portion 21 of thebase member 10 extends beyond the common end portion 22 of the hold-downmember 15, the said end portions of both members being provided withvertically aligned slots 23 and 24 which open out into the common endsof the said members 10 and 15, respectively.

An expansile means such as a coil spring 25 is associated with thehold-down member and is positioned between the base member 10 and thehold-down member 15. This spring is located between the hinge means 16and the slotted ends of the members thereof and is preferably disposedclosely adjacent said slotted ends. The upper end coil of the spring ispreferably connected to the underside of the hold-down member 15 and thelower end coil of the spring is connected to the upper face of the basemember by a conventional connector (not shown).

The mount part described hereinbefore is adapted to cooperate with asecond earth anchor part, generally indicated in the drawings by thereference number 26, said part comprising an upstanding shank 27 adaptedto be fixedly imbedded in the earth 28 through the expedient of turningit on its axis by a handle 29 fixed to its upper end; a screw member30(FIG. 1) being fixed on its lower end which upon rotatory movement ofthe shank advances itself and the shank into the earth.

A mechanical leverage means is connected to the holddown member tocompress the expansile spring 25 and comprises external threads 31formed on the shank which are engaged by the internal threads of a nut32 manually rotatable by a lever arm 33 integral therewith. An invertedcup-shaped washer 34 is loose on the shank beneath the nut 32, thedownturned rim of the Washer being preferably received in an annulargroove 35 (FIG. 4) formed in the upper surface of the hold-down mem ber15 around the rear portion of the slot 24 formed therein.

With reference to FIG. 5 which depicts a slight modifi cation of theearth mount assembly shown in FIGS. 1-4, a pair of springs 36-36 aresubstituted for the single spring 25, the springs 36 being disposed onopposite sides of the anchor shank 27 and in lateral alignmenttherewith.

It will therefore be understood that a spring compressing device andmechanical leverage means comprises the threaded connection between theshank 27 of the earth anchor and the manually rotated nut 32 and theabutment of the nut 32 against the hold-down member 15 through thewasher 34.

With reference to the modification illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of thedrawings the hold-down member is V-shaped in plan and embraces the shank27 of the earth anchor. Three expansile springs 37 are connected to themderside of the hold-down member 36 and each has its .ower coilconnected to the base member 10. The me- :hanical leverage means forcompressing the spring is a manually rotatable nut 38 threaded to theshank 27 and nearing against the upper face of the hold-down member 36around the inside corner of said member.

Now with reference to FIGS. 8 through 11 of the drawngs there is shownslightly different modifications of my assembly, each modificationhaving a hold-down member 15 hinged at one end on an intermediateportion of the Jase member 10 by the bracket 16.

In the assembly shown in FIG. 8 the shank 27 is provided with a shoulder39 bearing upon the hold-down nember 15, the spring compressing deviceand mechanizal leverage means being a screw member 40 threaded in atapped bore 41 formed through the hold-down mem- Jer and bearing at itslower end against an expansile spring 42 which has its lower coil inengagement with :he base member. The assembly shown in FIG. 9 is similarto that shown in FIG. 8 except that the spring :ompressing device andmechanical leverage means is a screw 43 passing through a hole 44 in thehold-down member 15 and threaded at its lower end in a tapped bore 45 inthe base, an expansile spring 46 encircling the screw 43 and bearing atits upper end against the hold-down member 15 and at its lower endengaging a shoulder 47 an the screw 43.

Turning to FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawing the numeral 48 is an expansilespring encircling the shank 27 and having its upper coil bearing againsta shoulder 49 formed on the shank, the lower end of the spring engagingthe upper face of the hold-down member. The spring :ompressing deviceand mechanical leverage means comprises a screw member 50 threaded in atapped bore 51 formed through the hold-down member, the lower end of thescrew member being in engagement with the upper face of the base member.The spring compressing device and mechanical leverage means in themodification shown in FIG. 11 is similar to the assembly depicted inFIG. 10 except that a screw member 52 has its lower end threaded in atapped bore 53 in the base member and freely extends through a hole 54in the hold-down member, a shoulder 55 on the screw member bearingagainst the underside of the hold-down member.

To assemble the earth mount shown in FIGS. 1-4 of ;he drawing the secondearth anchor part 26 is first manually screwed into the ground until theshank 27 is fixed therein with the nut 32 and the washer 34 located atthe top of the threaded portion 31 of the shank. Next the base member 10and the hold-down member 15 of the first part are moved longitudinallyrelative to the fixed earth anchor in a direction to enter the shank 27into the slots in said members ad until the projected end of the shankis located at the closed, forward ends of the slots. The washer is thenplaced in position upon the hold-down member and the spring compressingdevice and mechanical leverage means is made operative when the nut 32is manually turned down upon the washer by means of the lever 33 untilthe proper tension is built up in the expansile means 25 which transmitsdownward holding pressure an the base member 10 to firmly place my mountassem- 91y upon the earth 28 for operation of the target trap. Removalof this earth mount is accomplished by a reversal of the above describedsteps it being understood that the mechanical leverage means is firstmoved up,- wardly on the anchor shank to release the spring pressure onthe base, the base member and the hold-down member then being slid awayfrom the shank and the anchor hereafter unscrewed out of the earth. Theforegoing method is substantially followed in the assemblies shown inFIGS. through 11 of the drawings with obvious differences depending uponthe mechanical parts of each assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. An earth mount unit comprising an elongated base member set upon theearth and having a slot formed in one end portion, a hold-down memberhaving one end pivotally mounted upon an intermediate portion of thebase member with its free end disposed for movement toward and away fromthe slotted end portion of the base member, said hold-down member havinga slot formed in said free end thereof in vertical alignment with theslot in the end portion of the base member, an earth anchor having anupstanding shank adapted to be fixedly imbedded in the earth againstaxial movement, said shank having an upper end projecting from the earthand entered into and vertically through the slots in the base member andthe hold-down member, spring means operatively connected in said unitsto act between the upper end of the earth anchor and the base member,and a spring compressing device and mechanical leverage means associatedwith the upper end of the earth anchor and the free end of the hold-downmember and operable to place the spring means under compression betweenthe base member and the earth anchor to thereby create a downwardpositioning pressure on the base member against the earth and on equaland opposite tension in the earth anchor.

2. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein a hinge meansconnects the end of the hold-down member opposite the slotted end to theintermediate portion of the base member.

3. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein the slots in thehold-down member and the base member open out into their respective endedge portions.

4. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the slotted endportion of the base member projects beyond the slotted end portion ofthe hold-down member.

5. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein the springcompressing device and mechanical leverage means is adjustable andincludes an expansile, coil spring.

6. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein the spring hasits ends bearing against confronting faces of the base member and thehold-down member, and a nut is threaded in the upper end of the shankand bears against the upper face of the hold-down member.

7. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein the spring hasits lowermost coil in engagement with the upper face of the base member,and the mechanical leverage means is a screw threaded through theholddown member and having its lower end bearing against the uppermostcoil of the spring.

8. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein the spring is acoil spring having its uppermost coil bearing against the under face ofthe hold-down member, and the mechanical leverage means is a screwhaving its lower end threaded in the base member, said screw memberpassing freely through the coil spring and the hold-down member andhaving a shoulder connected to the lower most coil of the spring.

9. An earth mount unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein the spring is acoil spring encircling the projecting end of the shank, and having alower coil bearingagainst the upper face of the hold-down member, theupper coil of the spring bearing against a shoulder on the shank, andthe mechanical leverage means is interposed between the hold-down memberand the base member.

(References on following page) 6 References Cited 3,368,542 2/1968 Dale124-8 1,180,982 4/1916 Czesnak et a1. 52 157 UNITED STATES PATENTS2,887,195 5/1959 Jackson 52166 207,389 8/1878 Call 1247 3,067,84612/1962 Luebkeman 52 157 212,213 2/1879 Goodman 1247 1,427,347 8/1922Bauder. a FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner 2,575,458 11/1951 Merrill.2,768,805 10/1956 Gribble.

3,318,560 5/1967 Garrett et a1 248-156 52 157

